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<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 16pt; COLOR: black">ABRAHAM<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns =
"urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns =
"urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" /><st1:date Month="4" Day="11"
Year="2005"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 16pt; COLOR: black">APRIL 11,
2005</SPAN></st1:date><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 16pt; COLOR: black"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 16pt; COLOR: black">WOODS CROSS GROUP<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 16pt; COLOR: black"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 16pt; COLOR: black">I am ABRAHAM. Greetings, I am enjoying the
friendship among you this evening. It is beautiful to see your individual
growth, but truly is it phenomenal to look back over your years together,
through the good times and bad, and still you are as committed to each other as
any family I have ever seen. I am honored to be a part of
that.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 16pt; COLOR: black"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 16pt; COLOR: black">It is always helpful to look back upon the
relationships of the twelve apostles. They had their petty disagreements. They
had their personality differences and yet, for the most part that is very well
what helped them to grow as an individual and as a family. Always was the love
for the Master their common thread that held them together through hardship,
disappointments, life and death.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 16pt; COLOR: black"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 16pt; COLOR: black">You each are agreed in heart and mind that
Father is your sovereign. As hard as it is sometimes to turn to Him, especially
in heated discussion, you always manage to follow through. You always manage to
stand outside of self to allow Father’s spirit to be revealed. Your intentions
are known and this is what unifies you as a family. Well
done.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 16pt; COLOR: black"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 16pt; COLOR: black">God is spirit. His person is not
discernable to the material eyes. Through faith His works are understood, but
definitely is faith a more difficult journey while sojourning in the flesh. Much
of the time it is your fellowship with one another, family and friends outside
of this group, even strangers that assist in the faith
system.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 16pt; COLOR: black"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 16pt; COLOR: black">Jesus spoke of a few great commandments.
The first being, “You shall love the one God with all your heart and mind.” The
next being, “You shall love your brother as yourself.” We can see that many
times the apostles helped to strengthen one another’s faith. With their focus
mostly upon the Master they were able to stand aside of their desires to go
forth with the common good of the whole.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 16pt; COLOR: black"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 16pt; COLOR: black">There are examples where one or two of the
men would be downcast, but the majority would not let this attitude infect the
group. Much of the time there was always the humorous words of Nathaniel to
lighten the mood. On occasion even our doubting Thomas would set aside what he
thought was his better judgment to follow through with the plans of the
Master.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 16pt; COLOR: black"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 16pt; COLOR: black">Man is really a social being. People need
people. Think of all the valuable lessons you could impart to a growing child
and certainly we could all agree that love is what the child can best
comprehend. Without it all other facts are seemingly without value. Of course,
there are difficulties from time to time dealing with your fellows. There are
times when you need to be alone, but for the most part where would mankind be
without one another? As time goes forward it will become more apparent that no
amount of technology can replace a person.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 16pt; COLOR: black"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 16pt; COLOR: black">It is obvious that those religious orders
that choose a life of solitude are missing half of their mortal lessons. As you
mature in spirit and grow in this Kingdom family, you can see all others as
equal, not above nor below you. Said Jesus, “Love one another as I have loved
you.” The Master saw all people, from kings to little children as the Father’s
own. He could talk to all people. He could relate with people because he
genuinely loved them. He saw not their exterior, their standing in the
community, their race or religion. He saw one of the Father’s
own.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 16pt; COLOR: black"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 16pt; COLOR: black">Sure the Master was hurt or disappointed
from time to time with His fellows attitudes and a great deal of the time He had
to practice being somewhat detached. He always held fast however to the First
Source and Center. This was key to dealing with individuals of all
kinds.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 16pt; COLOR: black"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 16pt; COLOR: black">This week ponder the value of your
relationships. Be at ease to relate with Father’s children. How does a person’s
exterior influence your ability to relate with them? This is the Brotherhood, my
friends. Enjoy. That is all. Know that I am with gratitude to look upon your
faces and see living hope. My love goes with you. Until next time,
shalom.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P></DIV></BODY></HTML>